Press Releases
The 11th Japan-UNODC Strategic Policy Dialogue
On July 5, Mr. KOBE Yasuhiro, Deputy Minister for Foreign Policy, and Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), held the 11th Japan-UNODC Strategic Policy Dialogue in Tokyo.
Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the National Police Agency, and the Japan Coast Guard also participated in the dialogue, in which the participants discussed common strategic goals as well as priority areas to be addressed together, looking ahead to the future cooperation between Japan and UNODC.
In addition, Deputy Minister. Kobe stated that Japan would make further comprehensive contributions including with its human resources and expertise in the areas of countering terrorism and transnational organized crime, crime prevention, and criminal justice and so on. The representatives from other ministries and agencies also commented on ways to strengthen their cooperation with UNODC.
During the dialogue, Deputy Minister Kobe and Executive Director Waly signed the outcome document outlining strategic goals and priorities for the period 2024-2026.
UNODC was established in 1997 as a result of the merging of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme. Headquartered in Vienna, UNODC carries out research and analyses on illegal drugs and crime, helps countries with the conclusion and execution of conventions related to crime and narcotic drugs and with the development of domestic legislation, and provides technical cooperation for capacity building in countering organized crime and terrorism.
A framework for dialogue between Japan and UNODC launched in 2013. Discussions are held at a high level between Japan and UNODC from a strategic perspective on priority issues to be addressed in cooperation and the future of cooperation.